LIBRA: A simulation-based gender equality training programme for student leaders in higher education

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dc.contributor.authorScott, Michelle Kirrane
dc.contributor.authorLucey, Siobhán
dc.contributor.authorPower, Mide
dc.contributor.authorLucey, Siobhán M.
dc.contributor.authorCondron, Claire
dc.contributor.funderHigher Education Authority
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-09T14:50:03Z
dc.date.available2026-06-09T14:50:03Z
dc.date.issued2026-04-16
dc.description.abstractBackground Training is required to build the capacity of future leaders to dismantle disadvantage, influence change and strengthen diversity and inclusion across higher education institutions. The LIBRA pilot project uses a novel simulation-based approach to equip student leaders with skills to address biases and promote gender equality. Methods Kern’s Curriculum Framework was utilised to systematically design a simulation-based gender equality training programme for students, employing a six-step approach that included problem identification, a comprehensive needs assessment using a mixed methods approach, and development of educational objectives and strategies. The LIBRA programme was piloted by 19 student leaders across two sites. The programme was evaluated by assessing participants’ pre- and post-event confidence to deploy skills and techniques which foster gender equity in post-secondary settings. Participant feedback was also collated via an online questionnaire. Results Students’ confidence in their ability to communicate, be actively aware and challenge gender equality matters increased post-intervention. They found the programme engaging, interesting, accessible, and relevant. Students felt comfortable participating in the training and found that the feedback provided to them was useful. The majority of students strongly agreed that simulation is a valuable approach to support the acquisition of gender equality competencies. Conclusions Within the LIBRA pilot project, a simulation-based approach to tackling gender inequality was positively received by student leader participants. The LIBRA programme can be adapted for use in local contexts to create a co-operative simulated learning experience for participants. Further research is required to evaluate the impact and value of such training programmes within the context of wider Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives.en
dc.description.sponsorshipThe authors acknowledge and thank the researchers and collaborators involved in the pilot programme
dc.description.sponsorshipPatrick Henn, Avril Hutch, Tanya Dean, Ann Marie Curtin, Adara Maestu, Midhun Mathew, Clare Sullivan and the support of the technical team at RCSI SIM centre for Simulation Education and Research, technical staff at UCC ASSERT, EDI experts at UCC and RSCI and our student participants. The authors would like to thank Prof Walter Eppich, Chair of RCSI SIM at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, for his time and support in developing this project. This project was funded by the Irish Higher Education Authority Gender Enhancement Equality Fund.
dc.description.versionPublished Version
dc.format.extent17
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.articleid35
dc.identifier.authororcidScott, Michelle Kirrane
dc.identifier.authororcidLucey, Siobhán§0000-0002-3703-0604
dc.identifier.authororcidPower, Mide
dc.identifier.authororcidLucey, Siobhán M.§0000-0003-3444-1480
dc.identifier.authororcidCondron, Claire
dc.identifier.citationScott, M K, Lucey, S, Power, M, Lucey, S M & Condron, C 2026, 'LIBRA: A simulation-based gender equality training programme for student leaders in higher education', Advances in Simulation, vol. 11, no. 1, 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-025-00404-9
dc.identifier.doi10.1186/s41077-025-00404-9
dc.identifier.issn2059-0628
dc.identifier.issued1
dc.identifier.journaltitleAdvances in Simulation
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0002-3703-0604/work/211923103
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0003-3444-1480/work/217252293
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/18955
dc.identifier.volume11
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBioMed Central Ltd
dc.relation.urihttps://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-025-00404-9
dc.rights© 2026, the Author(s) . Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.
dc.rights.accessrightsopen access
dc.rights.licensenameAttribution 4.0 International
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.statusPeer reviewed
dc.subjectGender equality
dc.subjectStudent leaders
dc.subjectSimulation-based education
dc.subject[Business]
dc.subject[CUBS]
dc.subject[Dental]
dc.titleLIBRA: A simulation-based gender equality training programme for student leaders in higher educationen
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)
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